Page 16 of The Comeback

I nod in satisfaction when she provides her address and pound down the stairs to get some food down before our date tonight. Not a date. Why did I even think that? This is a meeting between former friends. A get-over-the stage fright session. I don’t know what to call it, but it’s not a date.

It’s guilt. That’s why I’m so consumed with this. If I hadn’t put her under the microscope of those awful humans like Amber in high school, she’d probably be just fine getting up on stage. If I help her get through this, then I can let go of that responsibility and focus on hockey again.

I know she can do it. She’s definitely more confident now. The way she carries herself and the unflinching stare she leveled me with. Not to mention that dress… Ugh. Don’t think about the dress. Good thing she’ll need layers where we’re going.

Me: Dress warm

***

“What’s with you?” Jackson’s eyebrow arches under his surfer dude flop of hair when I look up from the reheated chicken I’m shoveling down.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re eating like it’s your last meal. Now I know you’re usually a pig anyway, but that’s a bit much. Got a hot date?”

I ball up the paper towel in my lap and hurl it at him. He just laughs and snaps it out of the air with his athletic reflexes, tossing it right back at me.

“No. I’m meeting an old friend to help with something.”

“Uh-huh. Would this old friend happen to be the brunette with the luscious curves, and sweet tits from the party last week?” He smirks.

Something unexpected flares up at his words. Anger? “Don’t talk about her like that.”

His mouth falls open. “Really? I was just messing with you, but this is an interesting development. Don’t go all soft like Woodsy did last year.”

A picture of Aspen’s girlfriend cheering him on, wearing his jersey, pops into my head before morphing into an image of Abby with my name on her back. Nope. Not going there, but neither is Jackson. No way am I letting him anywhere near her. His casual disregard for the girls he brings home stands out even on a team of college hockey players. Don’t get me wrong. He’s not an ass. He never lies to them, but he also never keeps one longer than a night.

“I’m not. We’re just helping each other. I’ve known her since we were kids.”

“Yeah, well, news flash.” He gives me a look. “She’s not a kid anymore. Definitely not a kid.”

“No shit.” I toss back the reply, but his words stick in my head. She has grown into herself. I’ve always thought she was beautiful, but now. Fuuuuuck she’s hot.

I jump up and punch him in the shoulder before cleaning up my dishes and heading out to pick her up. It’s a little early, but I can drive around a bit. Clear my head before I pick her up. I need to get my mind back on track. I don’t want to think about what’s next if I don’t get drafted. My grades are fine, but I’m not taking college courses because I’m into finding a regular job. I’ve wanted to play professional hockey since I was in the peewees. It’s the only dream I’ve ever had.

Before I know it, I’ve pulled up around the curved pickup zone in front of her apartment building. She pushes out the glass front doors before my car’s even in park.

Her fuzzy red sweater with hearts all over it shouldn’t be sexy, but it is. She’s got it on over a black knee length dress and black leggings that cling to her. I jump out of my car, hurrying around the front to open the passenger door for her to slide in. My hand itches to reach out and touch her arm in that huggable looking sweater. Get it together. I pull back and walk around to my side.

“Where are we heading?” She looks a little unbalanced. Curiosity mixed with suspicion. I want to keep her there.

“It’s a surprise.”

“Ok,” she says.

My fingers are drumming the steering wheel to fill the silence stretching between us. This isn’t how it’s supposed to be. We used to be able to talk about anything and everything. The challenge was getting us to stop long enough to come in for meals.

“How’s the song coming?”

I glance at her and see her kind of light up from the inside out. “It’s amazing. I’m glad it didn’t work out with Connor, so Dax is my partner for it. Our voices are perfect together for this piece.”

“Who’s Connor?”

“Umm…” She trails off. “Kinda my ex.”

I rub my chest at the unfamiliar flare of heat that spikes again at the thought of her with another guy. Wait a minute. “The one that had you hiding in my room?” Maybe I should send him a thank you text for sending her right to me. After I punch him in the face for making her cry.

“Yeah.”

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